Chelsea Foster Dad Raped Children In His Care: DA

CHELSEA, MA — A Chelsea man is accused of raping his two foster daughters over a period of two years, according to the Suffolk District Attorney's office. Michael Diaz, 34, faces 13 charges, including four counts of aggravated rape of a child, six counts of indecent assault and battery on a child and one count each of possession of child pornography, dissemination of matter harmful to a minor and posing a child in a state of nudity.

The girls were in the care of Diaz, who the Department of Children and Families approved as their foster parent, between 2017 and 2019, according to the DA. Authorities removed the girls from his home in early 2019 after they were told of the allegations.

On June 29, 2019, the older of the two, 12 years old, told her biological mother that her foster father had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, the DA's office said. She also told her mother that she was worried about her 11-year-old foster sister.

Authorities said Diaz told the girls to keep the behavior a secret. He also gave the older daughter two cell phones and continued to communicate with her after she was removed from his home, according to the DA's office.

Authorities interviewed both girls, who separately shared stories of abuse by their former foster father, the DA said. Following his arrest last July, investigators examined Diaz's phone and the two phones given to the 12-year-old girl. Photos on Diaz's phone showed the child without clothes, and both phones had a photo of Diaz and an adult woman engaging in oral sex, as described by the 11-year-old girl, according to the DA.

"This is the most evil betrayal of trust I can imagine," Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement. "I am revolted by the charges, not only as District Attorney but as a licensed foster parent and an emergency foster care provider."

Diaz was held on $50,000 cash bail and ordered to stay away from the girls following his arrest July 22. He was also ordered to have no unsupervised contact with a child under 18 and had to wear a GPS monitor if he made bail.

Diaz's bail was later reduced to $25,000, which he posted. He was indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury Dec. 19.